Outside the Farm: Shiryami's Adventure
by Lilynris
Summary: Based on the Neoquest game. Lonely Shiryami, left out of her family, joins up with two adventurers who have broken into her isolated world. Chapter 7 now up!
1. Two Rings Farm

Chapter One: Two Rings Farm  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Neopets, of course. Adam Powell, Donna Williams, and the other, absolutely brilliant members of the Neopets Team own this wonderful website. They also own the game Neoquest, part of the website. The setting (the Two Rings, and the Two Rings Palace) are part of Neoquest, as are the characters mentioned when Lilynris tells her story.  
  
However, I did create the Two Rings Farm. Lilynris, Ashayie, Shiryami, Kyerind, Meryisi, Aunt Brithinell, Uncle Hyhinmor, the Crusader Major, and the Head Librarian are my own characters, and I also include a few plot twists that aren't part of the Neoquest storyline.  
  
Please do not sue me.  
  
A/n: This may contain some Neoquest spoilers, so read ahead at your own risk if you're playing the game. Other than that, though, I hope you like the story. It's my first fanfic, so please R&R!  
  
"Shiryami!" Aunt Brithinell called from the kitchen. "Shiryami, where are you?"  
  
The yellow Acara flashed down the stairs, instantly recognizing the tone in her aunt's voice. "Yes, Aunt Brithinell?"  
  
"Go check the mail," Aunt Brithinell snapped.  
  
"Yes, Aunt Brithinell." Shiryami zipped out the door of the farmhouse where she lived with her aunt, uncle, and two older cousins. She went so fast that she didn't even hear her aunt yell, "And while you're at it, go find your uncle!"  
  
In a matter of seconds, Shiryami had reached the mailbox, which she slid open in the special hand motion her uncle Hyhinmor had taught her. "Well, well, well. Looks like there's a letter today."  
  
"Mail! Here, give it to me." Shiryami's cousin Meryisi flew down and snatched the letter from the mailbox. "I wonder who could be sending something to us? After all, almost no one lives here." She stopped talking as she flipped the envelope over and saw the seal: a winged J in intricate detail. "Well, well, well. If it's mail from the Master, I had better take it in to Mother right now. You shouldn't touch it, Shiryami. After all, you are the daughter of rebels." Meryisi flew lazily back to the house.  
  
Shiryami sat next to the mailbox forlornly and rolled her eyes. Meryisi did something like this at least once a week. It was always different, but whatever Meryisi did was always calculated to make Shiryami cry. There were plenty of topics to make her cry about, foremost of which was usually the demise of Shiryami's parents.  
  
They say that my parents tried to leave, to investigate the world beyond these mountains. That is impossible, though. There is no way into the Two Rings, and no one can ever leave. We are trapped here. The secretary thought Mom and Dad were rebelling…and that's how it happened, Shiryami thought. The Crusader Major just chased them into an ambush.  
  
Why was I born to this life? Why was I destined to be who I am in a family where I have no worth? I am protected from the monsters, so long as I remain under the Master's shadow. Don't forget Aunt's shadow. She's convinced that I'm a witch of some sort. I wish that I was a shock witch so that I could stun them all forever and make them go away. Well, maybe I wouldn't stun Kyerind. He's kind of nice.  
  
"Shiryami!" Aunt Brithinell screeched, which did not sound good with her low Shoyru voice. All the family were Shoyrus except Shiryami. "What are you doing out there?"  
  
Shiryami zipped back into the house. "Yes, Aunt Brithinell?"  
  
"Where's the mail, and where's your uncle?"  
  
"Uncle Hyhinmor went to the village to trade supplies, Aunt Brithinell." Someone has a bad memory. "And Meryisi has the mail."  
  
"You lie, Shiryami. Why would Meryisi get the mail?"  
  
"To make me look bad, of course. Why else?" Shiryami bit her tongue immediately. I'm going to get in trouble for this one. My horrid big Acara mouth, so much bigger than all these little tiny Shoyru mouths. If only I was a Shoyru like them, they might like me more…  
  
"Shiryami, one more mistake out of your mouth and you are going to your room without dinner." Shiryami didn't think she imagined the smirk on Aunt Brithinell's face. Aunt Brithinell and Meryisi both knew how painful it was for Shiryami if she even ate a meal half an hour later than usual or didn't eat just the right amount of food, much less deprived of a meal. "Now, tell me the truth."  
  
"Meryisi did take the mail. And she'll be showing up here eventually with it. It was from the Master."  
  
"The Master, eh? You were always a good liar, Shiryami. One more chance."  
  
"That's because when you think I'm lying, I'm actually telling the truth."  
  
"Well, well, well. Three seconds after I warn you to shut your mouth, another flippant remark pops out of it. Up to your room, Shiryami."  
  
Shiryami opened her mouth. "But…"  
  
"You are not a fish, Shiryami, even though you look like one. And you do not say 'But' to me, remember? I thought you would. To your room, or do I need to go over to the village, borrow the book of spells, and stun you?"  
  
"We have mail, Mom," Meryisi said imperiously, dropping the letter on the kitchen counter. She glowered when she saw Shiryami, who suppressed a giggle. Someone didn't get her timing right. Serves her right.  
  
"Oh? Really? I told Shiryami to get the mail, not you." Aunt Brithinell whispered to Shiryami, "Shoo!"  
  
Shiryami did so, running into Kyerind on the way. "What's up?" her cousin asked.  
  
"Oh, same old. Your mom just sent me to that musty loft space she calls a bedroom for the rest of the day because I talked back to her about Meryisi's torture. Today she stole the mail from me. By the way, it was a letter from the Master. I think that you'll want to read it together." Shiryami stomped upstairs and wished she could fly.  
  
Kyerind shook his head. "Mom and Meryisi got her already? No wonder she's in such a bad mood, if she'll be confined to her room for the rest of the day." He headed into the kitchen.  
  
Upstairs, Shiryami leaned down to a crack in the floor and listened to the conversation.  
  
"So, we have mail," Kyerind said.  
  
"What are you doing here? I thought you were in the village with your father."  
  
"He sent me back here for a few things. I just thought I'd see the letter."  
  
"Shiryami told you about the letter."  
  
She took her ear away from the hole. "Great," she grumbled, "one more thing to get in trouble about."  
  
Then Meryisi's voice drifted through the crack. "Listen to the letter, Kyerind:  
  
'Dear Two Rings Farmers:  
  
Once again, I would like to thank you for your support, and I have a favor to ask of you. There are two adventurers who have recently entered the Two Rings. One is a desert Aisha, about 45 centimeters high, who carries a large backpack of unidentifiable objects. She is armed with a staff and energy shield and has various magic powers. The second is a purple Poogle with a Kal Panning accent, slightly shorter than the Aisha. She looks like a trail guide of some sort who knows this area. How this is possible, I wish I knew. I would be very pleased if you could ask them to stay at your farm and find out some information about them. If necessary, exterminate them.'"  
  
"There's no signature," Kyerind said.  
  
"Well of course not. The Master doesn't need a signature," Meryisi retorted.  
  
"This is impossible," Aunt Brithinell stated. "No one can enter or leave the Two Rings."  
  
The words echoed in Shiryami's mind. I may not be as alone as I think. Two people who have just entered here. And the Aisha is a witch! Maybe I can escape with them. Before Aunt Brithinell kills them, of course. I wish I could be one of them, go on their adventures. Maybe they'll find our farm. There is hope. And I can try to save them, maybe. Glimmers from the books she had read flashed in front of Shiryami's eyes and fascinated her.  
  
And then, the doorbell rang. 


	2. Lilynris and Ashayie

Chapter Two: Lilynris and Ashayie  
  
Shiryami listened intently. Are these the adventurers? She groaned slightly when Uncle Hyhinmor's voice floated up through the crack.  
  
"Hello, Meryisi, Kyerind, Brithinell. Good afternoon. Where's Shiryami?"  
  
"Reading in her room," Aunt Brithinell said. "She insists on isolating herself from us. I don't know why."  
  
Look who's lying now! Shiryami thought.  
  
"Anyway, when I was at the village, I met these two young ladies. They were wondering where they could stay for the time that they will be in this part of the Two Rings, so I invited them to stay with us."  
  
Shiryami leaned even closer to the crack, listening.  
  
"Hello," a high, melodious voice said. "I am Lilynris, and this is my partner Ashayie. Thank you for allowing us to stay here."  
  
"Thank you very much," a faster, lower voice said.  
  
"Kyerind," Aunt Brithinell's all-too familiar voice said, "take these two up to Shiryami's room. She can sleep outside."  
  
"Yes, Mother. Follow me, ladies." Kyerind's wings flapped, and Shiryami heard two sets of footsteps before she took her ear away from the crack and tried to look as if she had not been eavesdropping. A few minutes later, she heard Kyerind knock on the door.  
  
"Come in!" Shiryami said, trying to restrain her excitement at meeting outsiders. The door opened to reveal the strange Aisha and Poogle, exactly as the letter had described them.  
  
"Shiryami," Kyerind said, "the Aisha is Lilynris, and the Poogle is Ashayie. Lilynris, Ashayie, this is Shiryami."  
  
Shiryami smiled brightly. "Hi. It's wonderful to meet you!"  
  
"I'm glad to meet you, too," Lilynris said. She obviously owned the high voice. "You sleep here?"  
  
"Yes, and I spend a lot of other time here, too. Usually in exile from the rest of the family. Come on in!"  
  
Lilynris and Ashayie settled on the bed; Kyerind occupied a small chair next to the bookshelf; and Shiryami closed the door and sat on the floor. " 'In exile from the rest of the family.' What does that mean?" Lilynris asked.  
  
"I'm sure you noticed I'm different from the others, if you pay so much attention to a few simple words," Shiryami said, enchanted. These people are everyone I wanted to meet and more! she thought. "I'm not really a member of this family. Kyerind is my cousin. My parents tried to escape from here and were killed, so Uncle Hyhinmor took me in because he couldn't abandon one of his own family. Aunt Brithinell and Meryisi hate me, as you may have noticed when Aunt said I could sleep outside." Shiryami stopped.  
  
"You were listening?" Ashayie said bluntly.  
  
"Yes. I had to know what the letter from the Master was all about."  
  
"The Master?" Ashayie arched an eyebrow. "Of course. You live in the Two Rings, among all these monsters. Logically, you have to serve Jahbal or you'd be dead by now."  
  
"Please," Kyerind said. "Don't mention him. We don't want him to know you're here."  
  
"Yes," Lilynris said, smiling serenely, "that might be a good idea."  
  
"Where do you come from, Lilynris?" Shiryami asked.  
  
"Well," Lilynris said, "I am from a place called Neopia City, where I learned how to use magic and a few simple weapons. About a year ago, maybe, I met the governor. He was very impressed by my skills and asked me to go on a journey. 'I can make a better weapon for you,' he said. 'You have a glowing stone already, which I will save for you. Go to the Dank Cave and bring me a tiny lapis, a pewter rod, and one other item…the Ring of Xantan. With these items, I can create a steel wand for you.'  
  
"I think that Eleus Batrin, the governor, was testing me when he said this. It seemed that he had issued this challenge to others before and they had failed. But that challenge started my quest." Lilynris took an old, decrepit stone ring out of her pack. "This is the ring that Eleus Batrin wanted. He seemed very impressed that I had passed this test and issued another: to go to a ruined school in the jungle and see what I could find. There, I found the three members of a previous expedition and defeated three other creatures. Those ruins were where I got the first three keys."  
  
Lilynris showed Shiryami and Kyerind her jam-packed keyring. "These keys—the wooden one, the silvered horn one, and the jeweled crystal one—came from those creatures. I also found a medallion that I'll show you later."  
  
Ashayie smiled; she knew the secret of the medallion.  
  
"After fixing up the former head scientist with the slightly insane cook—I hope Korabric and Pomanna live happily ever after—I headed back to Neopia City. Eleus Batrin was really impressed now, that I had passed both of his tests and found the medallion. Then, I just followed his instructions to someone who knew about the medallion and continued on, unraveling the story as I went. When I finally found the final key, which let me in here, I met Ashayie."  
  
"I'm a trail guide," Ashayie said, "from the Eastern Glades. I studied a lot of cartography, like ancient maps of this area. I also wanted to get out of my village and make a more current map of the Rings, so I asked if I could come with Lilynris. She agreed."  
  
"I really am the nicest person in the world," Lilynris joked.  
  
"I could find a few people who won't agree with that," Ashayie muttered.  
  
"Such as who? They're all dead."  
  
"Unless you know how to call up undead spirits, Ashayie, I think that Lilynris won this one," Kyerind chimed in.  
  
Ashayie shuddered. "Don't even mention the undead, Kyerind. I've been to Kal Panning. It's the freakiest place I've ever seen."  
  
"If it's possible to get out of here after I do what I came here to do," Lilynris said, "I'd like to go back to Kal Panning. All the undead are gone now, and I'd really like to rebuild it into the place it was before the Circle cursed it."  
  
"I'll go with you," Shiryami said.  
  
Ashayie smiled. "Looking for a way out, huh?"  
  
"Ever since I was three."  
  
"Well, it seems that you'll have to make up a test for Shiryami."  
  
"Don't worry, Ashayie. I'm going to test her in the same way that I tested you."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Shiryami said, apprehensively.  
  
Lilynris took a holder containing five staves from her sack. "These are the five Staves of Brilliance: Firedrop, Iceheart, Thunderstar, Shadowgem, and Moonstone. They correspond to the five spheres of magic. My spheres are ice, spectral, and life, so I can use those weapons. Ashayie has spectral talents. I just want to see if you have the magical talent necessary to use one of these." Lilynris handed Shiryami the first staff.  
  
Shiryami took it, shaking. I hope that I can go with them…she thought. What am I going to do if I can't?  
  
"No," Ashayie said. "That one's for Kyerind. Just look at him and you can tell."  
  
"There is a marked resemblance," Lilynris said, looking at the staff and then at Kyerind. "Give it to him, Shiryami. I'll give you the other one."  
  
Shiryami reluctantly handed the staff to Kyerind and accepted the other one from Lilynris. As soon as she touched it, a spark of electricity zapped through her, and Shiryami struggled to hold on. A bolt of yellow light lanced through the crack in the floorboards.  
  
"Uh oh…" Lilynris said sheepishly. "I hope that didn't hit any members of your family."  
  
"I hope it stunned Meryisi," Shiryami automatically responded. "I always wanted to do that to her."  
  
"Well," Ashayie said after a period of silence, "you rather obviously passed the test, as did Kyerind." She grabbed both staves and placed them back in their holder. "A temporary stun is one thing, Kyerind, but I don't think Shiryami would appreciate it if you burned down her bedroom." Flames had begun to flicker around the staff.  
  
"Dinner!" a shrill voice came up through the crack. "Shiryami, you come down here too. I need to talk to you."  
  
Shiryami groaned. "Aunt Brithinell is so awful…" Then she smiled. "Hey, I guess that means I stunned Meryisi! Cool!"  
  
Lilynris replaced all her items in the sack and made a few signs in the air. "That's a locking spell," she explained to Shiryami and Kyerind. "Come on." The two adventurers left.  
  
Shiryami started after them, but Kyerind pulled her sleeve back. "I need to talk to you."  
  
A/n: Sorry if I bored you with the backstory. Ashayie's story is new, of course, but Lilynris's story is mostly about the Neoquest game. I tried to avoid putting very many spoilers in here. Most of the characterization is over now. 


	3. The Battle of the Dinner Table

Chapter 3: The Battle of the Dinner Table  
  
"Shiryami," Kyerind said, "if you were eavesdropping on us, then you know about the letter."  
  
"I heard every word of it," Shiryami said. "It described Lilynris and Ashayie, then asked us to find out information about them, and then…" Shiryami could not speak the last part.  
  
"Yes," Kyerind said. "I think they need to know our secrets, considering that we know theirs."  
  
Shiryami narrowed her eyebrows, thinking. "Their secrets are more apparent to you, Kyerind, than to me."  
  
"I'll explain," Kyerind said, sitting down on the bed. "When Lilynris showed me her keyring, I looked at all the keys and noticed that each one had an inscription on it. I couldn't read most of them. I think it's because Lilynris has a different written language than we do. The inscription on the last key was in the ancient alphabet, though, so I could read it. It said, 'The holder of this key may enter the accursed Two Rings and slay—you know who, Shiryami—who cursed my city and doomed me to live as an undead creature forever.'" Kyerind looked at Shiryami meaningfully.  
  
"I see," Shiryami said after a few seconds. "I see. That explains several things. I happen to think that it's a worthy cause. He's twisted our entire lives into serving evil and wants us to murder Lilynris and Ashayie. I will not have anything to do with murdering Lilynris and Ashayie; I'm going to help them."  
  
"Me too." Kyerind offered a hand, and Shiryami shook it.  
  
"Kyerind! Shiryami! Come!" Aunt Brithinell screeched.  
  
"Race you down the stairs," Shiryami said to Kyerind.  
  
"No way. I know better than to race you."  
  
"Good. You're increasing in intelligence." They ran down the stairs together and took their accustomed places at the dinner table. Aunt Brithinell sat at the front end of the table, with Meryisi and Kyerind on her right side and Shiryami, Ashayie, and Lilynris on the right. Uncle Hyhinmor sat at the other end of the table. They all joined hands, and Aunt Brithinell muttered a short prayer before they started eating.  
  
"We don't get many visitors," Meryisi said to Lilynris and Ashayie after daintily eating a small piece of chicken. "What brings you two here?"  
  
Shiryami tried to hide her nervousness. I never got around to telling them not to trust Meryisi, she thought, chewing on a bite of noodles.  
  
"I am an explorer," Lilynris said. Shiryami noticed the guarded expression on her face. "During my travels around the world, I have uncovered many mysteries. And when I found the key to the Two Rings in my travels…how could I pass up the opportunity to enter this isolated place?"  
  
"Not quite as isolated as you might think," Kyerind said. "There are many more people here. Did you see the village?"  
  
"Of course!" Ashayie said. "Lilynris and I stocked up on a few things there, for the journey, before we met your father."  
  
"And we certainly are glad to meet you," Uncle Hyhinmor said. "Like Meryisi said, we welcome visitors."  
  
Shiryami remained silent, as usual. Any attempt to speak would be greeted by stares for a few seconds, then returning to the former conversation. But Ashayie whispered to her, "Why don't you talk?"  
  
After a moment of surprise, Shiryami responded, "No one is interested in what I have to say."  
  
Ashayie arched an eyebrow. "The silent ones may conceal the greatest mysteries of all, but how can anyone else learn those mysteries when the silent ones believe that no one will listen to their wisdom?" She noticed the others looking at her. "A proverb from the Eastern Glades that just sprang to mind," Ashayie explained swiftly.  
  
"So you are from the Glades, but your speech is that of Kal Panning," Aunt Brithinell said. "How odd."  
  
"How do you know what the speech of Kal Panning is like? Or the Glades, for that matter? After all, you have been isolated from those places your entire life. Lilynris is the only one who bears the key to enter this place, so therefore you cannot distinguish the accent." Ashayie looked at Aunt Brithinell suspiciously.  
  
Look who just messed up! Shiryami thought.  
  
"Anyway," Meryisi said, with her usual disparaging look at Shiryami, "there was someone in the village who suspected that you were from Kal Panning, Ashayie. Of course, Roredyn says these things about everyone. He likes to stir up trouble. There are people like that wherever you go, no matter how hard you try to avoid them. You can travel all around the world and still find people like that."  
  
"Oh yes," Lilynris said, her secret look still on her face.  
  
Meryisi, obviously thinking she was getting somewhere, continued on. "Of course, even in your own house, you find people that are always stirring up trouble."  
  
"Who do you mean, Meryisi? Everyone here seems perfectly nice."  
  
"Except for you, perhaps," Ashayie broke in.  
  
Ashayie received two nudges from both sides of her, and Kyerind kicked her under the table.  
  
I sure am enjoying this battle of words, Shiryami thought, eyeing Meryisi again.  
  
"Well, Ashayie, perhaps the one who is stirring up trouble is you. After all, you never did explain your reason for coming here. Perhaps you are a simple explorer like Lilynris…or perhaps your reason is more sinister." Meryisi peered into Ashayie's eyes, fishing for secrets.  
  
Uh oh, Shiryami thought. Ashayie isn't as good at fighting with words as Lilynris. She's going to slip here, I know it…Thinking rapidly, Shiryami said, "Did you know that Kyerind is a warlock?" She then directed a look to Kyerind: Agree with Aunt Brithinell.  
  
Aunt Brithinell laughed slightly. "Shiryami, Shiryami. Where do you come up with your wild notions? I think Kyerind would know if he was a warlock, which is absolutely preposterous."  
  
"Maybe you think so, Aunt Brithinell, but you hate magic of all sorts. I don't think you know anything about magic."  
  
"Indeed? Well, Shiryami, there is one thing I know about magic. It is hereditary. And neither your uncle nor I are magic-users of any sort. Besides, if Kyerind were a warlock, the Master would have exterminated him years ago."  
  
Aunt Brithinell then noticed that everyone had finished eating during the battle. "Meryisi, Shiryami, come help me clean up." She and Meryisi flew from the table. Shiryami began to get up, but first Ashayie whispered to her, "Good one, Shiryami. Thanks for rescuing me."  
  
"Any time." Shiryami got out of the chair and followed her aunt and cousin into the kitchen along with several plates, which she immediately began to wash along with Meryisi.  
  
"Kyerind a warlock, huh? Where did you come up with that one, Shiryami?" Meryisi whispered. "From that odd imagination of yours?"  
  
Shiryami ignored her cousin and continued washing dishes.  
  
"You know, the strangest thing happened to me this afternoon," Meryisi continued. "I was sitting on the couch, knitting a sweater for myself, and then…I was just frozen. It was like a bolt of lightning hit me."  
  
Shiryami made sure to hide her face in the dishes, so as not to reveal herself.  
  
"I always suspected that you were a witch."  
  
"Like your mother said, Meryisi, magic is hereditary. Neither of my parents were magic-users either."  
  
"And how would you know? You were only three when they rebelled."  
  
Shiryami started rinsing the dishes. I'm going to keep this thread up as long as I can. Kyerind is probably telling Lilynris and Ashayie about the letter right now.  
  
"If they were magic-users, they would have been able to save themselves back then. You can do your share of the work now, Meryisi, instead of just hovering above me." Shiryami moved away from the sink and back to the table, but Aunt Brithinell caught her.  
  
"Shiryami…there's something that I'd like to talk to you about."  
  
Shiryami spun around. "What?"  
  
Aunt Brithinell drew the letter that Shiryami had seen earlier that day from her apron. "Read this. You're part of the family, so it's your business."  
  
Shiryami unfolded the letter and read the words that she had heard Meryisi read earlier, then returned it. "What does this mean, Aunt?"  
  
"It's the way to prove yourself to us. Learn all you can about Lilynris and Ashayie, and let us know about them. We'll see what the Crusader Major will think of them. Think about it, Shiryami. Your ticket into our family." Aunt Brithinell patted her shoulder. "Take this cake into the dining room."  
  
Shiryami wordlessly took the cake and placed it on the center of the table.  
  
"What happened?" Kyerind asked, listening.  
  
"I assume that you told Lilynris and Ashayie our secrets?" Shiryami said, noticing her uncle's absence.  
  
"He sure did," Ashayie said. "It didn't come as much of a shock to me, but I like to know these things for sure."  
  
"Aunt Brithinell wants me to tell about you," Shiryami said, taking her seat.  
  
"And?" Lilynris asked, eyeing her.  
  
"What do you think I'm going to do, Lilynris? I don't want in this family. I don't want to betray you. I'm not going to do it. Being in that family is not something I want to do."  
  
"Same here," Kyerind said. "I know all your secrets and you know mine; I'm sticking with you."  
  
"Great," Lilynris said. "It looks like we won this battle. Hopefully we'll do as well in the battles to come." 


	4. Crossroads in the Dream

Chapter Four: Crossroads in the Dream  
  
A/n: Thanks for reviewing! I have another disclaimer here for your reading benefit...  
  
I own Carayni and the librarian. These are completely imaginary characters from my own head. This goes out to all those NQ players who might read this story and think that they actually have to find and defeat the Head Librarian, however unlikely it may be. I wish that there actually were librarians in the Palace! It would be kind of cool...  
  
Anyway, sorry about that. Here goes the story again!  
  
***  
  
After the battle of the dinner table, Shiryami gladly returned to her room, now occupied by Lilynris and Ashayie. "I am so glad they came," Shiryami said to Kyerind on the way up the stairs.  
  
"I'm sure you are. First, if they hadn't come, you would be sitting in your room reading a book you nearly memorized. Second, you would be too hungry to concentrate on the book."  
  
"And third," Shiryami whispered, "I never would have gotten a ticket out of here."  
  
"Good point. Anyway, good night."  
  
"Night, Kyerind. See you tomorrow." Shiryami turned right and ascended a small staircase to reach her loft room, where Lilynris and Ashayie already had sleeping bags spread out. "Hi, guys."  
  
"Hello."  
  
"Hi. Nothing new going on, I assume?"  
  
"No, nothing new is going on, Ashayie. Aunt Brithinell hasn't stolen the Staff of Ni-Tas, Kyerind didn't burn down the house, and no armies of crusaders have turned up."  
  
"You know," Lilynris said, "we'll have to take them on eventually."  
  
"We've fought them before," Ashayie said with a yawn. "The one who lives over in the Palace will be worse."  
  
"Very smart perception, Ashayie," Shiryami said.  
  
"You know, Shiryami, maybe you shouldn't be talking, considering you never fought a battle in your life."  
  
Shiryami yawned. "I'm not going to start a war of words now, Ashayie. It's too late at night. You know it was wonderful meeting both of you?"  
  
"You told us a couple hundred times today."  
  
"You're better than I thought at these word fights, Ashayie," Lilynris commented. "Too bad we can't just defeat the one who lives in the Palace with words. We'd probably cream him."  
  
"I wish," Shiryami said sleepily.  
  
"Well, whatever you want, he's going down whether with words or weapons. Good night."  
  
Shiryami closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep.  
  
The place where Shiryami stood was one of her sanctuaries, a lonely tree that only existed in her dreams. She didn't see anyone around her, but threads of suspense hovered on the wind. An invisible presence popped into being inside the tree.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked.  
  
"Shiryami, Shiryami. Don't you remember me?"  
  
"I can't see you. How could I recognize you?"  
  
"You understand voices that are familiar enough. Surely I'm that familiar to you?"  
  
"Not quite yet. I don't remember very many of my dreams."  
  
"Well, you'll remember this one, Shiryami. Now," the voice relaxed, "I think I should probably take on a spirit form, so you'll remember me."   
  
The grass and sky in front of the tree shimmered to reveal a faerie Kacheek hovering in the air. "Remember me now?"  
  
"Carayni. I see why you've turned up now."  
  
"Well, yes. You are about to embark on a life-changing quest, if you choose to join Lilynris." Carayni hesitated. "And if you remain...well, that will change your life as well."  
  
"So basically I'm at the crossroads in my life."  
  
"Well, you could say that."  
  
"I can say that, and I just did say it. Basically, no way am I staying here. Kyerind is leaving to seek adventure with Lilynris and Ashayie, and he's the only one who's somewhat nice. Even though I'm kind of scared of what will happen when Lilynris finds the one who lives in the Palace, I have to go. And I want to go. And I will go."  
  
"Well said, Shiryami. You do have a way with words. Maybe it will help you...but you have chosen your way. Now, face its dangers!"   
  
Carayni vanished, flickered out of being, and Shiryami looked around nervously. "This place seems a little too real..." she said to herself. "Not like most dreams."  
  
"What, you think you'll ever have a normal dream again? You are a shock witch, Shiryami. I always knew."  
  
"Right. You don't belong in my dreams, unless you're a spectral witch. By your own calculations, you obviously don't have that power. Therefore, go away, illusion," Shiryami said without turning around.  
  
"How could it be like most dreams?" another voice said. This voice was deeper, silkier, scarier. "Carayni could not live inside a normal dream. Neither could these illusions. This is the dream you will remember. I will make it so, for I have mastered the dream. And I command the dream to trap you inside." That voice vanished as well, and Shiryami found herself at the bottom of a deep, dank cave instantly.  
  
"Wow..." she said. "That one must have taken a lot of practice. Hundreds of years of practice, perhaps. Well, I have to find my way out of here on my own." Shiryami hesitatingly stretched out a hand and touched her left wall. "Follow the wall to the end of the maze. That's how you get out." Shiryami took a few steps forward. "Of course, there's a trap here."  
  
She stopped at an invisible wall. "Wow. Words really do have power."  
  
"Of course. Why do you avoid saying the name of your boss?"  
  
There was the mysterious voice again. Shiryami immediately retorted, "He is not my boss. You are not my boss."  
  
"Well, obviously. I'm just the lowly librarian who has spent hundreds of years in the Palace studying the prophecies and the ways of the dream in preparation for the day when you would come along. Don't think you're special, though. You can't fight this, as I have seen."  
  
"You know, you're making a mistake. The word is my most powerful weapon, and I know I can beat you."  
  
"Indeed? How do you know this?" The voice laughed. "It's so easy."  
  
"Well, there is something I do know about how I can beat you, so it's not as easy as it seems," Shiryami said after a few seconds. "You're the Palace librarian, out of your own mouth. See you there in my physical form." Shiryami immediately darted forward, sure that the wall would have shattered for a few seconds out of shock. She passed through.  
  
"Since you're not very special, I have better things to do than torment your dreams," the voice said nonchalantly. "See you tomorrow night."  
  
"Right. I don't plan on it. Bye, loser."  
  
The crusaders charged into the cave, led by their Major. "Well, Shiryami. I killed your parents twelve years ago. Now, it's your turn," the Major said.  
  
"Yeah. Right. I'll warn the others." Shiryami willed the cave to dissipate, and luckily for her, it happened. The featureless gray mist surrounded her once more.  
  
"Shiryami! Wake up! What has been going on?"  
  
Shiryami looked at Lilynris, who was bending over her. "Not much. I met a guardian spirit who told me I was at the crossroads of my life. Then this crazed Palace librarian tormented me, and we stalemated in a battle of words. Finally, I saw the crusaders charge in. What has been going on with you, Lilynris?"  
  
Lilynris took the middle staff out of her pack. "Take it, Shiryami. You'll need it. We've been discovered."  
  
Shiryami threw on a coat and boots, then took the staff. "The crusaders?"  
  
"Yup," Ashayie said, holding her staff. "They found us last night. I'm surprised that they did it so quickly."  
  
"The librarian," Shiryami immediately said to herself. "The librarian traced you, and then he found me in the dream. I probably had something to do with it when I fought off all those creatures. Got an escape plan?"  
  
"I wish," Kyerind said, flying in through the window.  
  
"We don't have an escape plan?" Shiryami screamed.  
  
"Don't yell at me! We only decided to leave yesterday."  
  
Shiryami threw her head back and looked out the window. Big mistake. "Oh, wonderful. We've got this huge army advancing on the farm and no escape plan. One of the smarter things I've done in my life." 


	5. Ice Wind

Silence hovered in the room for a few minutes, only broken by the rain pattering on the farmhouse. Kyerind drummed his fingers on the windowsill.  
  
"Quit it with your fingers," Ashayie said. "I can't think."  
  
"I just had an idea," Kyerind said. "Dad is taking a shipment to the Palace today. We can stow away in some of the boxes."  
  
"Sounds exactly like one of those stupid schemes in one of my adventure stories," Shiryami responded immediately. "Whenever they try that, someone either gets killed, captured, or both. I'd rather not try it."  
  
"Got any better ideas?" Kyerind continued drumming. "I'm listening."  
  
Shiryami rolled her eyes. "I wish."  
  
"Ha! I finally beat you, Shiryami!" Kyerind said, pumping his fist. "Yes!"  
  
Shiryami looked at him oddly, then finally understood. "I think you're obsessing, Kyerind."  
  
"Huh? What?" Ashayie asked.  
  
"More wordfights," Shiryami said to her. "I'm starting to get sick of them, even though I'm so good at them and I usually beat Kyerind. This time, he beat me."  
  
"I think you're both obsessing," Lilynris said. "We need to get out of here. We can argue later. I win the wordfight, so shut up. Can we accept this?"  
  
"I just have some difficulty accepting the fact that you're going to be the big hero and a hundred years from now, no one will remember us," Kyerind said. "So can I please win this wordfight?"  
  
"Fine," Lilynris said, waving a hand. "We'll firmly entrench it in the records, and years later I can contradict you. Typical celebrity stuff. Except we're cooler than the regular cast of celebrities."  
  
"Yeah," Ashayie said.  
  
"So now that we've got that established, does anyone else have an escape plan that does not involve taking any huge risks or dying heroically?"  
  
"I object. Kyerind's plan has the potential to entail both of those," Shiryami said.  
  
"And we go back to square one. Does the fact that we are running for our lives mean anything to you, Shiryami?" Ashayie said.  
  
"My God," Kyerind proclaimed. "You got pounded twice in five minutes, Mistress of Words."  
  
"And you are obsessing, Little Cousin. You remind me of Meryisi sometimes, you know."  
  
"Now that is really dissing me. You want to fight, Shiryami?"  
  
"We are at square negative two hundred and fourteen billion," Ashayie said to Lilynris. "We're not supposed to fight each other."  
  
"I know." Lilynris looked at the holder by her side, the second and fifth holes still filled by the staves representing Ice and Life. She drew out the Iceheart Staff, held it in her right hand, and waved a few patterns with it. The temperature of the room immediately dropped several degrees.  
  
"You know, this could backfire," Ashayie whispered. "He's fire, she's shock. They both have a high resistance to freezing. We don't have as much resistance."  
  
"Well, I do."  
  
"Well, I don't. I'm the one who's in danger here."  
  
"Do you think I'm that stupid, Ashayie? I protected you before I tried to do that. And it seems to be working." Lilynris leaned back. "Now we can talk without those two interfering."  
  
A few muffled complaints emitted from the two ice shells that were now Shiryami and Kyerind.  
  
"Stop it," Ashayie responded. "We'll never get anything done if you two keep arguing." She turned back to Lilynris. "I kind of want to go with Kyerind's plan. We can all protect ourselves from getting killed if we're split up."  
  
"I kind of want to think of something better..." Lilynris said.  
  
Ashayie growled. She put her hands on Lilynris's shoulders, pushed her over to the window, and lifted her up so she could see. "Look! The crusaders are coming. If we sit here and babble all day long, they will arrive, find us, and kill us. We will not be able to fight off a thousand crusaders, Lilynris." Ashayie raised her staff threateningly over Lilynris's head. "We are not here to die at the hands of crusaders. We are here to find and defeat Jahbal! So, let's just quit arguing and agree with Kyerind. All right?" Ashayie flipped the staff in her hand.  
  
"Thank you for agreeing with my plan, guys," Kyerind said, striding over with a smug expression on his face. "And just so you know, you're not supposed to talk about the one who lives in the Palace."  
  
"Oh, whatever." Ashayie threw back her head. "He already knows we're here. What's the point? And what are you doing unfrozen anyway?"  
  
"To stop him from throwing more obstacles in our way, and possibly from seeing into our minds and hearts." The smug, macho expression had disappeared. Then, the ice suddenly covered him again. Lilynris heard a mumbled cuss word.  
  
"Lilynris, if those two are going to sporadically freeze and unfreeze all day, I don't think this will be such a good idea."  
  
Shiryami had heard that much clearer than anything else. She turned her head and found that she could. "What did you two do to me?"  
  
"Froze you so that we could have some peace and quiet," Ashayie said. "We're going along with Kyerind's plan."  
  
"Well, it seems I won't be able to stop you until someone is dead. So be it." Shiryami rolled her eyes. "Why is Kyerind still frozen? There's this icicle coming from his nose, and I don't think I like the way it looks."  
  
"The spell I used normally works in battle," Lilynris said. "It freezes an opponent randomly. I'm not sure how long it lasts, but I think it'll go all day..."  
  
"All day?" Shiryami screeched. "All day? I thought you were a good person, Lilynris. Instead, you inspire us to rebel and then go off with your friend, leaving us out in the cold to die. You're even worse than the one who lives in the Palace." Ice covered Shiryami's forehead, but it didn't seem to affect her. She took the staff that hung at her side and pointed it at Lilynris, who promptly fell over, stunned.  
  
Shiryami froze again. After the initial shock, she heard Ashayie talking again, though it didn't come through the ice easily: "...the only one left standing. Therefore, what I say goes." She picked up the four bags and slung on her own, then looked around at her three companions. "I hope Lilynris is okay," she said, looking at the closest face. "After all, there's not much more we can do without her. The rest of us aren't seasoned fighters like her. And since no one can exit the Two Rings, we would just have to stay here and await death."  
  
Those words actually made Shiryami shut up and think for a moment. I spend so much time with my mouth open and running at high speed that I never really think about what I say and what it might do. My only objective is just to win the fight; but now that I have friends, I'll have to be a bit more careful. It might take a while.  
  
Her eyes focused on Lilynris. Why did I stun her anyway? She only does what's right for the group. A snowflake dropped from Shiryami's eye at the sight of their fallen leader. Ashayie had been completely right when she spoke of Lilynris, and Shiryami shuddered to think of the scene of this shifting; of Lilynris lying fallen like this at the feet of the mysterious presence Shiryami had taught to fear and to obey her entire life. Of her friend not simply stunned, but dead, and of the other three powerless.  
  
It will not happen. We will not fail.   
  
Ashayie turned to her. "You know, Shiryami, you remind me of myself. Of course, you're only frozen and not stunned, so you heard everything I've been saying. Also, I'm not going to say what I want to about stunning Lilynris. Just don't plan on doing it again, or I will tell you what I think of you...with this staff.  
  
"Of course, this doesn't mean I don't like you. I do. I'm just not going to let you do anything to mess up the quest. Maybe, though, you'll be the one that saves us all. Odd, that you and your cousin would provide our missing elements. It might provide a chance of success."  
  
Then, Ashayie looked at Kyerind. "You, too, are more than you seem. Though neither you nor your cousin truly understand our quest, you also have a role to play. The what is unknown, as is the how and the why, but why would you and Shiryami be here with us if it was not important later? Perhaps it was not coincidence that Lilynris and I arrived here. Perhaps our quest would have no chance of success if we had not."  
  
Ashayie looked up to find the others staring at her, all revived. "And why was I talking like that?"  
  
"Huh?" Lilynris said.  
  
"Shiryami and Kyerind heard me. I was going into an uncharacteristic snatch of poetic rambling about the quest. I have no idea where it came from."  
  
Shiryami smiled. She scanned her mind for words but could think of none.  
  
Then, Kyerind finally sneezed. "I don't think I like this ice statue thing. I think I'm allergic to it or something."  
  
"Maybe you are," Ashayie said. "Fire and ice don't get along."  
  
"This time, they do," Lilynris said. "I guess I might have deserved that for doing something so stupid, Shiryami. Just don't do it again."  
  
"No problem. I certainly won't, considering that this whole thing depends on you. Are we ready to go?"  
  
"Ready," they all said. Lilynris opened the door and led the way out, followed by Shiryami, Kyerind, and Ashayie.  
  
Now, Shiryami thought, I leave behind my home forever. It was an important decision I made last night. The dangers are real. I have to learn to keep my mouth shut as well.   
  
I will succeed. We will succeed. We must.  
  
A/n: I thought that I just might say hello to my side that is disposed to poetic rambling. Eventually I'll think of an explanation for what Ashayie is doing. And now for a last crack out of Shiryami before I leave you hanging in suspense for a little while longer...  
  
Another thing I must do: resist being frozen again. 


	6. Delivery to the Palace

Kyerind had frozen again on the way downstairs, and it had taken every effort the other three had to lug him down. It was especially difficult for Shiryami, because she was spending most of her power in resisting the freezing spell herself. It was working, since she kept one elbow on the staff Lilynris had given her, but it was very difficult.  
  
"I think the ice is melting," Lilynris said. "We can put him down now."  
  
She, Ashayie, and Shiryami did so. "Do you think you're going to freeze anytime soon?" Ashayie asked her, now back to normal.  
  
"I'm putting a lot of effort into resisting it," Shiryami responded slowly. "We'd better go out to the shed before Uncle Hyhinmor leaves."  
  
Kyerind shook his head. "Did you have to carry me?"  
  
"What, you think we're just going to wait for you in my room?" Shiryami said, shaking her head. "We are in a hurry here. I can already see the crusaders coming."  
  
Kyerind sighed, then reached up and opened the door. Without its customary creak, it swung open to reveal a cloudy, misty landscape. "I can barely see," Kyerind muttered, using a simple fire spell to create a small flame.  
  
The others sneaked out, and Shiryami closed the door behind her. She then turned around to see the Crusader Major not far away, leading his troops. Other creatures appeared, too, that she had never seen before.  
  
"Shiryami!" Ashayie yelled, taking her arm and lugging her along. "Don't let the fear stun you, and don't let yourself get frozen again! You can freeze while you're in the crate."  
  
Shiryami managed to get enough sense back so that the Poogle and Acara scampered swiftly over the grass and through the mist to find Lilynris and Kyerind again. "Running helps," Shiryami said, locating Kyerind's flame. "Where's the shed, anyway?"  
  
"Not far ahead," Kyerind said, leading them through the air. "Look, there's Uncle Hyhinmor, loading up the crates to go to the Palace."  
  
The Shoyru lugged another crate into his truck; Lilynris and Ashayie gaped as the mists revealed it. "What is that?" Lilynris asked.  
  
"Dad uses it to take merchandise to the Palace or the village," Kyerind responded. "It may look pretty odd to you, I see?"  
  
"It certainly does. I've never seen something like that before."  
  
"It works perfectly well," Shiryami said. "Come on, let's get moving."  
  
Her uncle, however, had glanced up in lugging another crate into the back of the truck. "What brings you adventurers here? Kyerind? Shir--Shir--yami? Doesn't seem like a very good place for any of you to be, with the crusader army coming up any minute from the northwest to seek out and find the rebels."  
  
"He really is clueless," Ashayie muttered. "I was hoping he wouldn't be here. Shiryami, don't you dare freeze again."  
  
What were you expecting? Shiryami thought. Something easy? It's never easy. I will not freeze. I will not freeze. I will not...  
  
Uncle Hyhinmor stared at them for a little while longer. "You're not just coming here to make a map of the Two Rings and then go home, are you?"  
  
"There's no way to go home. The Circle of Twelve sealed this place. Nothing," Lilynris said, twisting her mouth in irony, "can leave it. Or, more accurately, nothing with good intentions."  
  
"I see."  
  
"No, I don't think you do see," Ashayie said. "Basically, the army is after us. We want to go to the Palace. Obviously, they are in our way. We are seeking another way to get there. Figure the rest out for yourself, if you can."  
  
Uncle Hyhinmor considered this for a while. "If you mean you're calling on me to do a good deed and rescue you from certain death...I could never leave anyone to die. I'll give you a hand."  
  
"Thanks, Dad," Kyerind said. "Thanks a lot."  
  
"How do you think I could help you, though?"  
  
"We would stow away in the crates," Lilynris explained. "Sounds insane, but it's better than certain death."  
  
"All right, then. By chance, I have four empty crates. And there are four of you."  
  
"Works out perfectly then, doesn't it?" Ashayie discreetly elbowed both Kyerind and Shiryami to keep them from freezing. Shiryami noted that the cartographer looked rather impatient. Why was she acting so strangely earlier? Shiryami thought.  
  
"Why, yes. I shall have to include a few other goods inside, though. How else do you mean to get out?"  
  
"Most likely by ordinary means," Lilynris said. "Ashayie and I have enchanted knives for this sort of purpose; Kyerind might be able to use fire magic in order to get out. But I don't know about Shiryami."  
  
"Well, I'll pack a boxcutter in with you, Shir--shir--"  
  
"Shiryami, Uncle Hyhinmor. That is my name." She accepted the boxcutter from Uncle Hyhinmor, who went to seal Kyerind into the first crate. Lilynris looked over her shoulder nervously at the approaching crusaders.  
  
"I'll distract them," Ashayie said. "I'm expendable; I can do it."  
  
Shiryami grabbed her elbow. "No way. You are not expendable. If they get their hands on you..." She shuddered. "No one has entered the Two Rings for centuries, so how could you know your way here? Your secrets will be dragged out of you painfully, and you will also reveal the rest of us. You'll die the same way my parents did." The small tear froze on Shiryami's skin, but the ice shell did not form.  
  
Uncle Hyhinmor placed Kyerind's box in the truck. "You're next, Shiryami," he said.  
  
Shiryami walked over to the boxes and twirled the Thunderstar Staff in her hands, wishing she could get the chance to use it against the Crusader Major. On the other hand, the freezing spell would probably go into effect there. She took one last look at the mage and the cartographer, trying to decide their course of action, before popping into the box and letting the freezing spell take effect.  
  
As Uncle Hyhinmor sealed the box and Shiryami froze over, she could not hear anything else that was happening outside the box. So here it is, she thought. Now I leave home forever. Whether we win or lose, I am never going back. The halfway point in their adventure suddenly seemed plain to Shiryami. No longer was it a danger to simply battle her family at the dinner table. The upcoming battles would be more conventional. Even before they defeated Jahbal--because we must defeat him; I cannot believe otherwise--there would be other tests. For example, a certain librarian had asked for it the night before.  
  
Was she ready for those battles? Could she hold her own against the librarian and other guards that she might find?  
  
A third box thumped onto the pickup truck. Shiryami tested it with her magical power and found that it belonged to Ashayie.  
  
^It's mine, all right.^  
  
Where had that voice come from?  
  
^Of course the box belongs to me, Shiryami. Knowing how the stories go, do you honestly think that Lilynris would not be last? She's probably having some difficulties out there. Your uncle, of course, is still trying to fulfill both his oaths. He's saved you, me, and Kyerind, but he just might leave Lilynris to die and arrange for the others to kill us.^  
  
Shiryami responded, ^You're being really optimistic. Do you have any idea what's going on out there?^   
  
^Oh yes. The guy that Lilynris is fighting has declared duel status. If Lilynris wins, your uncle gets to take him away and the crusaders leave. If he wins, then we're up for grabs.^  
  
^Lilynris must be really confident. The Crusader Major's a tough opponent.^  
  
Ashayie seemed to snort. ^Maybe for you. For Lilynris? She's got reason to be confident. She beats up everyone else she sees. According to her, Eleus Batrin tested several other mages before coming to Lilynris. None of them came back with everything that Lilynris had after her tests. You're not growing unconfident now, I hope, and wanting to go back?^  
  
^Forget that. Have I not said twenty trillion times that I hate it there? I'll face all the dangers I have to so we can win.^  
  
Ashayie seemed to be listening for something; Shiryami couldn't tell what. Then, a noise came from outside the box, and something heavy thudded inside the trunk. The thump was certainly heavier than that from Ashayie's box.  
  
^It's because of all my things,^ Lilynris's voice said. ^Well, Shiryami, looks like I wound up doing the revenge bit for you. Hope you don't mind?^  
  
Shiryami yawned inside the box. ^Nope.^ The ice shell which she had fought for such a long time then encased her, and she fell asleep inside the box.  
  
The jolting of the truck woke her up about half an hour later. Shiryami listened carefully and then heard Uncle Hyhimnor's voice: "Delivery." The ice shell was off.  
  
Someone grabbed Shiryami's box and lifted it out of the truck. She moved the gem on her staff closer to herself and hoped that the spell would take effect again. It did, and she froze over. Good thing. I wouldn't want to move and make them suspicious about this box, she thought.   
  
Unless Ashayie was right and Uncle betrayed us.  
  
He wouldn't do that.  
  
Not to Kyerind, and maybe not to me. But what about Lilynris and Ashayie? He doesn't care about them.  
  
Shiryami found she couldn't answer herself.  
  
"There's something weird in this box," a gruff voice said, somewhere to Shiryami's left side. "Something moving."  
  
Even if the ice shell hadn't been there, Shiryami would not have moved another speck.  
  
"It's your imagination. You've been awake too much."  
  
"It might not be imagination," a third voice said. "There are strange things outside this Palace. The Master told us to be wary. There is an adventurer in the area, after all. And a trail guide. Perhaps the farmers have brought them to us."  
  
"I think I've found the other one," Servant Guy #2 said. "What shall we do with them?"  
  
Total silence. Shiryami remained completely immobile in her ice shell, terrified that they would discover her too.  
  
"Take the two suspicious boxes you-know-where," Servant Guy #3 said after some hesitation. "The other ones go to the storage room.  
  
"Go."  
  
Shiryami found her box lifted again by more servant guys, and made sure to stay frozen. Except for one thing she allowed herself...crossed fingers.  
  
I suppose that Kyerind is still frozen too, she thought. Good thing. With two of us still around, maybe there's some hope that we can rescue them...  
  
But Lilynris and Ashayie are going "you-know-where." How are we going to discover them?  
  
I'm still alive and standing. The practices are over. Time to fight it out. Maybe that librarian has a clue... 


	7. The Book and the Mirror

Disclaimer: I have a little bit more to say on that subject, unfortunately. Udalin Stonebreaker is part of Neoquest and not my own creation. I also make a small reference to Lord of the Rings, which is owned by Tolkien. Go to the Lord of the Rings fanfics if you want to see people bowing before shrines; it's not my thing.  
  
A/n: Please do not flame for the above comment. Fire is Kyerind's element of choice, not mine. That's also why he's the most minor character. The upcoming chapter may be slightly confusing.  
  
After the servant guys put the boxes down in the storage room and finally left, Shiryami got out her knife and sliced into the wall of the box. "Darn knife," she muttered. "It is so dull. I don't think Uncle Hyhinmor is quite as stupid as he makes all of us believe. Lilynris saved us when she cast the freezing spell. I only wish she knew it. Where's Kyerind, anyway?"  
  
Finally, Shiryami managed to cut the box open. She checked her surroundings and hopped out, then searched the group of boxes for Kyerind's, which had several small airholes poked in it. "I suppose this would be the storage room," Shiryami said while looking through the different boxes. "Uncle Hyhinmor certainly sent over a lot of stuff. Where did he get it all? I can see where the crops came from, obviously. Here's a box of magic robes—that must be what Meryisi and Aunt Brithinell weave all the time. Some gems mined from the Two Rings Mountains and other things needed to make staves are here, I see." Shiryami dug through that box, which was open, and came up with a large disc of amber. "This looks interesting."  
  
She heard a loud sound that sounded like an explosion of some sort. "Kyerind…" Shiryami growled quietly. Sure enough, the fire Shoyru appeared out of…a pile of something that used to be a box. The gem on his staff glowed.  
  
Shiryami rolled her eyes. "You know, you just announced to the entire Palace that you're here."  
  
"We were planning to do that anyway."  
  
"Yes, but I would prefer later than sooner," Shiryami said. "You know that Lilynris and Ashayie were captured?"  
  
From Kyerind's facial expression, he obviously had not. "Do you have any idea where they could be?"  
  
"I wish. The servant guy just said to the others to take them 'you- know-where.' We're in the storage room. I do not have a map of this place. Therefore, I have no idea how far we could be from 'you-know-where' or the throne room, where I assume our final destination is."  
  
Kyerind hadn't been paying attention to the last part and instead wandered off to the other end of the storage room. "Shiryami, check this out!"  
  
"What? There isn't anything there."  
  
Kyerind stopped. "No way! I saw this really huge mirror."  
  
"Well, what use is a mirror?" Shiryami asked, her arms crossed. She followed Kyerind anyway.  
  
"Maybe if it's enchanted, it can help us," Kyerind said, flying over the boxes. Shiryami raided several of them as she went by, taking healing potions from one box, two magic robes from another, two invisibility potions from the third, and a mysterious book from the fourth. Finally, they both reached the mirror.  
  
"Looks pretty ordinary," Shiryami said. "Wait…there's an inscription on there. I can't figure out what it says."  
  
Kyerind peered at the inscription. "It's in the same language as the inscriptions on Lilynris's keys. I have no idea what it says, though. It might be useful. I wish Lilynris was here to translate."  
  
"I wish she was here to do more than translate. I wish she was here to give us a hand. I suppose that we can't have everything, though. That's interesting how the edges of the mirror have those five vines intertwined," Shiryami pointed out. "Five is a strange number."  
  
"It's been popping up everywhere, though," Kyerind said. "Five in our family. Five spheres of magic. Maybe another companion will turn up on our quest."  
  
"I doubt it. Lilynris is equally strong in two spheres, so I don't think we'll need a fifth person on our quest. Does it happen to make you a little scared that we have absolutely no fighting experience?"  
  
"Slightly," Kyerind said, still staring at the mirror. "I try not to think about it."  
  
"Take these." Shiryami gave him some of the things she had taken from the boxes. "There are a couple of healing potions, an invisibility potion, and some armor. You'll probably need them." Shiryami put on her own armor.  
  
"What's that?" Kyerind said, pointing at the book and the amber disc.  
  
"I have no idea. They looked interesting. Maybe they'll do something important."  
  
"Or maybe those things are evil. Say, have you found any suspicious- looking rings in the boxes?"  
  
"Maybe the mirror is evil too, Kyerind. And no, I have not found any suspicious rings in these boxes." Shiryami laughed inside at the idiocy of that comment. Kyerind sometimes got desperate. She looked at the mysterious book again. It had a copper-colored cover with no title written on it. Interested, Shiryami opened the cover to find that the book was hollow. Five silver keys were stored inside the book.  
  
"I think they go with the mirror," Kyerind said. "The keys are the same color."  
  
"I don't advise it," Shiryami said. "It'll probably do something bad." She closed the book and passed by the mirror, looking into it. "Why does it show your reflection and not mine?"  
  
"Huh? I don't know. It must be some kind of magic trick."  
  
"It still kind of bothers me if I can't see myself in a mirror. What kind of mirror is this supposed to be anyway? I don't think that we need suspicious-looking rings. We've got plenty to be suspicious about right here."  
  
"What says that your book isn't mysterious? Hollow books don't just pop up everywhere you go."  
  
"They're easier to understand than mirrors that don't reflect properly, Kyerind." Shiryami went off to another box to see what it might contain, forgetting about the book. "I don't know what this is, but it looks interesting," she said, picking up a small flask. "I've never seen one of these before. It must be from the village." Shiryami looked up and noticed that the book was open. She went back to it and unfolded a note that had been revealed when the five keys were taken out—  
  
The five keys were taken out? Shiryami thought. Kyerind must be trying to see what's happening with the mirror!  
  
Shiryami quickly glanced over in the direction of the mirror, but it had disappeared. Kyerind was gone too.  
  
It must be magical! And Kyerind went through it using those keys. What a fool. I hope he finds a way to come out…  
  
Shiryami opened the note in the book and read:  
  
If you are reading this, be wary. If the keys were taken, that means someone has gone through the enchanted mirror. I myself have gone through it, once, and I barely returned. That was why I placed the five keys inside the book and wrote this warning. After that, I brought the book into the Two Rings. There, I thought, it would not come to any harm, since the place is nearly uninhabited. And even if Jahbal still lives, the keys mean nothing to him without the mirror, which is located in the Archmagus of Roo's possession behind many locked doors.  
  
Udalin Stonebreaker  
  
"I wish I could be that optimistic," Shiryami said, folding the note. "This Udalin Stonebreaker seems to be popping up a lot. Lilynris mentioned him somewhere. So, despite this guy's expectations, both the book and the mirror are here."  
  
Shiryami heard footsteps behind her and swiftly whirled around. "Who are—oh. You again. I see you followed up on my promise." 


End file.
